COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M sophomore Jameill Showers certainly looked the part of a starting quarterback Saturday during the annual Maroon & White spring game, especially on two crisp touchdown passes before about 15,000 at Kyle Field.

A&M offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury isn't quite ready to declare a winner in the quarterback sweepstakes, however, especially with three months of the offseason dead ahead.

“We want this summer to be part of the competition,” Kingsbury said. “They all made strides, but in 15 practices, I can't see enough to make a decision.”

And what exactly is the chief requirement for earning the starting gig?

“Whoever puts the ball in the end zone the most,” Kingsbury said. “That's the bottom line.”

Showers' bottom line Saturday was the two TD passes of 63 and 50 yards to Malcome Kennedy and Ryan Swope, respectively, and completing 20 of 31 passes for 203 yards. His primary competition, freshman Johnny Manziel, a former Kerrville Tivy star, completed 13 of 27 passes for 154 yards and a TD, along with an interception.

“We're still careless with the football, but we weren't nearly as careless as we were the first week of practice,” first-year coach Kevin Sumlin said of the quarterbacks. “We've made some progress there.”

Manziel's touchdown pass went for 63 yards to Swope, and all three of the long scores came on slant passes across the middle, with the receivers outrunning the secondary after the catch.

“We've got some issues with our second team across the board,” new defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said.

“We believe in the scheme,” Malena said of the offense under Sumlin and Kingsbury. “We've bought into it, and we're getting out there and working hard.”

Senior running back Christine Michael, who has been limited in drills, didn't take part in contact Saturday while still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November at Oklahoma. Williams is a transfer from OU, and A&M intends to request a waiver from the NCAA this summer that would make him eligible immediately.

Regardless, he will have three seasons to play for the Aggies even if he must sit out this season under NCAA transfer rules.

“He's a gifted young man,” Sumlin said.

The Aggies won't practice again until August and between now and then will work with strength coach Larry Jackson, and the quarterbacks and team leaders will organize 7-on-7 drills.

“Now they know what's expected from them,” Sumlin said of providing a foundation through spring drills.

The Aggies were 7-6 in coach Mike Sherman's last season and enter the rugged Southeastern Conference on July 1. The SEC has won the last six national titles.

“We have to hit the ground running, and we can't take any days off or anything, if we want to accomplish what we think we can this year,” linebacker Jonathan Stewart said of the coming offseason.

Sumlin said he has established a leadership council among the players to make sure order is kept — and expectations met — in the offseason. A&M opens its season Aug. 30 against Louisiana Tech at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La.